Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sri Devi Navaratri Day 2 – September 30, 2019 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Vadanāravinda-vakṣō vāmānkatatī vaśamvadībhūtā
Purushatritayē trētdhā puramdhrirūpā tvamēva kāmākshi
O Mother! You exist in three forms. As Saraswati, You exist on Brahma’s face; as Lakshmi, You reside on Vishnu’s chest and as Parvati, You are half the body of Shiva. To You, I offer obeisance.
Srimata’s family is by no means a tiny nuclear family. Her family spans the entire creation! In the innumerable universes created by Her, She cajoles and lovingly nurtures every living entity. To emphasize this, the Guardian-deities of speech (Vag-devatas) have used the term ‘Mahat’. Furthermore, they have glorified Her as ‘Sri Maharagni’ I.e. the supreme empress who rules over every entity in creation.
In these innumerable creations of Hers, the Universal Mother has taken on the responsibility of providing food to every single entity! She ensures that every living being obtains as much food as is needed, in the form that is needed and at the time when it is needed by it.
The Universal Mother created Brahma and entrusted him with the task of creation. She created Vishnu and commanded Him to ensure the sustenance of created living entities while also governing them. She created Shiva and entrusted Him with the responsibility to annihilate the creation. As She was fully aware that without energy they would fail to accomplish their tasks, She manifested in three forms. Residing beside these Gods in the form of their spouses, She ensures perfect and timely completion of the tasks.
It is imperative to understand that all the astonishing, mind-blowing and unique wonderful incidents in this creation are the outcome of Her grace alone. Such accomplishments are not the outcome of the efforts of humans.
This ever-compassionate Mother retains within Her all the mistakes of Her children without revealing them to others. At all times She strives for the upliftment and prosperity of Her children. When Her children regret their sinful deeds or regret having trodden the wrong path, She instantly forgives them. At the same time, She also tactfully brings to the right track those children of Hers who adamantly refuse to be reformed.
There is a significant reason for her to discipline everyone. ‘Abidance by Veda dharma is a must. One must act in accordance to Vedic dictates’- is the rule established by Her. As such, She commanded everyone to abide by the Vedic dictates. It is therefore imperative for one and all to live in accordance to righteous rules (dharma) and uplift themselves.
Can anyone refuse to adhere to the laws of the land that have been laid down by the Government? Can he state that he will act only as per his whims and fancies? Immediately he will be caught and punished. In a similar manner, Mother Goddess too punishes those who have strayed away from Her dictates.
To obtain a human birth is a rare fortune. Even after obtaining a human birth, to entertain a desire for obtaining liberation is even more rare. Even among those who entertain such a desire, to obtain a Sadguru and to walk under His directions is the rarest of the rare.
Due to seeking refuge under Mother Goddess Rajarajeshwari, the entity can obtain all the three above-mentioned fortunes! Not only does this Mother fulfill all the desires of the devotee, She also showers him with that which causes his upliftment and well-being. Towards earning Her grace, it is imperative to abide by certain disciplines. With this, She will be pleased and will shower Her blessings upon us.
Consider the words uttered by you to be shlokas sung in Her praise. Let the movement of the hands be considered as Mudras offered in Her worship. Consider walking to be pradakshina offered to Her. Let all the thoughts in your mind be treated as contemplating upon Supreme Knowledge. This is the simplest form of worship. This is shakti-worship. Put these techniques into practice and through it ensure the energy within you is properly utilized. You will earn Her grace.
Just as She lives outside the innumerable universes and protects them all, this Divine Mother also resides within us and protects us. Within the limbs in our body, the Devatas reside. The Supreme Mother is the chief commander of all these Devatas and She rules over them. Precisely for this, it is essential to keep the body clean. The body must be used for performance of auspicious, good deeds. We must ensure that our thoughts are kept pure and good.
The person who, using the energy given to him by Mother Goddess, strictly adheres to the righteous path, will remain eternally on this earth in the form of renown (fame). Not realizing this profound truth, many kings assumed the energy within them to be their own thereby turning self-conceited. They went all around the earth conquering all lands. They amassed plenty of wealth. Despite this, their efforts did not yield the desired results.
‘The energy within this body actually belongs to the Mother Goddess. It is She who is energizing me to complete the work. She is leading me’- unable to realize this profound truth, they acquired infamy.
Those who eternally retain their focus on Mother Goddess and who walk on the path directed by Her will never have to face any difficulties and obstacles. The Divine Mother alone will look into all aspects, good and bad, of their life and the lives of their family members. She will ensure that the renown of these good devotees remains longer on earth. She ensures that they are appropriately rewarded with fruits for their efforts.
May the grace of Mother Rajarajeshwari flow towards you! May you get uplifted due to walking on the righteous path, and earn good renown!